Well, well, well, is Trey Augustine seriously climing that much in the Detroit Red Wings prospect rankings? While Augustine didn't scratch my top 10 earlier this summer, I also rank prospects more based on their NHL readiness (among other factors), as opposed to overall upside, so you'll get polar opposite takes from around hockey circles.
One outlet, the Daily Faceoff, clocked in Augustine at No. 2, behind only Axel Sandin-Pellikka. But that wasn't the only thing that jumped out at me.
Steven Ellis summed up his ranking by saying, "Augustine is ready to take the AHL by storm next year and isn’t far away from challenging for NHL duty, either. He’s about half a foot shorter than Cossa but has been a star at every level. I think the gap between Augustine and Cossa is close, but many scouts I’ve talked to think Augustine has the higher ceiling."
Fair enough. Regarding Cossa, Ellis said, "The 6-foot-6 goaltender has a great frame, is fundamentally sound and has some of the most powerful legs you’ll find of any prospect. I wonder if he becomes trait bait, though."
Again, fair enough. If Augustine has more upside and he starts to outplay Cossa, then yeah, a year or two down the road, maybe you trade the latter so you can bring in a talented skater who can slide in on the top six if they're a forward, or the top four if they play on the blue line. Would any of us be opposed to that?
Red Wings fans have to be excited about what they're seeing in Trey Augustine
Augustine clocks in at a much smaller size, standing at just 6'1, 194 lbs. But his lack of size, especially when compared to Cossa's 6'6 frame, hasn't taken away from his sheer talent. Augustine's been a force at the NCAA level since the 2023-24 season, when he finished with three shutouts, a 0.915 save percentage, and a 2.96 GAA.
Last season, he came back around and put up another three shutouts, with a 0.924 save percentage, and a 2.08 GAA. Not to mention, he was legendary at times on the international stage, averaging no worse than a 2.52 GAA and 0.917 save percentage.
So, there's a chance Augustine outshines Cossa, especially if Cossa doesn't gain anything in the consistency game. Remember, Cossa's late-season performance was awful, and that's a red flag heading into 2025-26, despite the fact he's still factoring in as the No. 1 netminder for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Should Cossa bounce back and enjoy a great season, he'll have some breathing room. And it could even catapult him into a full-time slot with the big club. But Augustine will almost certainly sign with the Wings and man the Griffins net in 2026-27.
And if he's looking good in Grand Rapids once he makes the jump from college hockey, then this thing could go in several directions. But if you ask me, I'd like to ultimately see a 1A and 1B situation with Cossa and Augustine teaming up in the net for as long as the Red Wings can afford it.
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